Once Again Farewell
by Anne Raven
Summary: Volume I of the Crossing Over series. I left with a silent farewell to the love that was taken from me before I had the chance to admit it to myself.


A/N: I've officially started my series of M's with **Valentine Bride**. Now I'm starting a series of Cross Overs. I love my oneshots.

I won't be writing the full fic until I finish my current multi-chapters and no, I'm not abandoning MIAb or Other God. MIAb will be ready in a few days. Other God on the other hand, let's just say I feel I make better chapters when I take time.

In truth, I'm not sure if I'll pull through with the multi-chap version of this story but I really like the concept.

I'll be sending this over to the crossovers section in a few days time. I'll just give it some exposure time.

Warning: Was not proofread.

Discalimer: FoR belongs to Anzai Nobuyuki and Fushigi Yuugi belongs to Yuu Watase. Yomiuri Shimbun is owned by the Yomiuri Group. Todai and its related trademarks belong to their respective owners.

Please enjoy. And Read and Review

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**Once Again… Farwell** by Anne Raven

It was a habit that started since my early adoloscence. I've been reading the morning edition of the Yomiuri Shimbun with coffee in hand for so long, it felt wrong to skip a day specially Sundays. And since I had no classes and practically had nothing to do today, I was free to read in peace.

I decided to have breakfast in one of the more posh cafés near Todai's Komaba campus. It was my last year in the said campus because by next year, I would be having most of my classes in the Hongo campus where the School of Law took up classrooms. But I honestly believed that I would still frequent this café. After all, my two most favorite girls in the world would be staying at the Komaba campus for one more year.

Yes, you heard it right – t_wo, favorite_ and _girls _in one sentence coming from me.

The first girl wouldn't come out as quite a shock. She was the undisputed favorite once since I met her in highschool. And even though she belonged to someone else, Yanagi Sakoshita would always be the little sister I never had.

She had plans of taking up Education and I do think that it would be the perfect degree for her. It was no surprise that she passed Tokyo U's entrance exam given the fact that she had always been the studious one but what surprised me was the presence of her companion. So now, we could talk about favorite girl number two.

I never thought that there was a possibility that I would see Fuuko Kirisawa sashaying on the halls of Todai with her usual gaiety much less learn that she was pursuing a Medical degree. But not a month had passed after the start of the first semester of my second year when I was forced to reconsider my stand.

Talks of a sharp and beautiful freshman who was highly sought after by the university's Martial Arts club erupted. I would've dismissed the gossip but when they mentioned that the girl had vibrant purple hair, I had to revise my conclusions. Apparently, Kirisawa Fuuko did have enough brain cells, more than enough if I were to be honest, to take up Medicine.

I should have known better. It was transparently hinted at during all her fights in the UBS, and whatever fight she might have gotten into, when our madougus still weren't a thing of the past. Not to mention she was able to master Fuujin in such a short span of time.

The first two years of Todai life was almost always allotted for the study of Liberal Arts, a chance for most students to take up whatever interests them before they went into their respective fields.

Was it kismet that brought Kirsawa and me in not one but three classes together? And if it was, for what reason?

It was rather comfortable to have at least one who knows you in and out in a sea of faces who only saw the illusory façade I could not let go of even if the pain and grief that caused its construction was no longer there.

She became my closest friend, the closest after Mifuyu. Sometimes, I had trouble ignoring the fond feelings that grew for her whenever she stood close to me, whenever she'd playfully banter with me. Her mere presence was enough for me to smile, inside.

Hn… And I really shouldn't think about that when I'm reading the newspaper.

I usually skip the entertainment section of the paper when reading. Really, why would I want to know the latest scandal about Lindsay Lohan anyway?

But it was hard to ignore the big boldfaced letters announcing news about some local celebrity. It read:

**SECOND TO THRONE: SINGLE NO LONGER?**

**It is widely spread amongst the Tokyo grapevine that Seishuku Saihitei, second son of the emperor of Japan, is dating a college girl from Todai where the twenty-one year old prince attends university as well.**

Why is it that whenever I read showbiz news, I feel like I'm listening to gossipy old women?

But the facts were Seishuku Saihitei is indeed a college student in Todai; a year older than I was; and, according to the more media-driven portion of the studentry, was indeed dating one of his younger peers.

Not that I care one bit but there are just too many chatty people to avoid.

I was almost done reading the broadsheet when a sudden hubbub made me look up towards the source of the sound. Some of the cafés customers gathered by the windows obscuring whatever caused the hushed conversations they were having. Probably realizing that they were making fools of themselves, the small crowd dissipated to allow the other patrons, including myself, to judge for ourselves if the item was worthy of notice.

Parked in front of the café was a sleek black limousine whose owner was probably having second thoughts about coming out. But the rear door was eventually opened by a man in black who came out from the passenger seat and out came the man whose picture was featured in the entertainment section of the Yomiuri Shumbun.

I have seen Ouji-sama quite a few times at school before he left the Komaba campus but never had I felt the need to meet him in person. But when he assisted a young girl out of the vewhicle, I was tempted to get a closer look.

Suddenly, Yanagi's question the other day made perfect sense.

"Tokiya-kun, you'd tell me if you were dating Fuuko-chan, right?"

Me… dating Kirisawa? Okay, I admit it's not that impossible and I had been meaning to have a friendly lunch or dinner with her… I repeat, FRIENDLY. But somehow, I couldn't find the courage to do so.

"Of course, Yanagi-san." I said with a smile. She deserves it.

"So, you are dating Fuuko?" There was a mischievous glint in her eyes mixed with absolute bliss.

"No." I'm afraid I'll have to work on that as of yet. God… Am I really thinking these things?

"Oh. I thought you were." Her face immediately fell. And truly, she wasn't the only one who was disappointed. "I've been hearing rumors that Fuuko was going out with a long-haired bishie and well, I haven't had the time to ask her personally but I was kind of hoping it was you. Not that I'm pre-empting anything, Tokiya-sempai but whenever I see the two of you together, I see something right."

I couldn't understand why it felt god when Yanagi told me that. Maybe I just wanted to be sure that I wasn't dreaming of a hundred favorable possibilities. Maybe I just wanted someone to confirm the emotions I couldn't name or admit to myself but otherwise knew was there.

And so… seeing Kirisawa Fuuko with Seishuku Saihitei was… was…

"Mi-chan!"

Damn! She saw me.

I buried myself in the broadsheet praying that she would just leave me alone. But a finger hooked itself over the periodical and dragged it down.

"Mi-chan… I wasn't expecting you to be here but I'm glad you got out of that apartment of yours. It's such a beautiful day to be outdoors."

I just had to glare at her but the sad part, for me at least, was that I couldn't keep glaring at her and my expression softened somewhat without me knowing.

And she smiled wide.

"You really should smile more often. You look absolutely adorable when you do." She teased.

"I'm not smiling at you, you retarded monkey." I retorted.

"You don't smile at anyone save Yanagi."

"Exactly my point."

Very, very annoying woman! Rude too for grabbing my paper just like that neatly folding it and placing it down on the table, an action that allowed me to fully look at her.

The Fuuko Kirisawa of her college years was the same yet different from the Fuujin wielder of our highschool days. Time had surely matured her like it ferments wine to perfection to a point that she was heartbreakingly desirable yet so unattainable.

Undoubtedly, she prepared for today. It was the first time I had seen her so primp other than prom night back in highschool. And yes, I was rather proud I turned out to be her date that night, even if the reason we ended together was that she was the only girl I could tolerate and I was the only boy who wouldn't take advantage of her.

Fuuko sat on the opposite chair to mine. Her now shoulder length hair was arranged in a way that a portion of it was held in a bun by chopsticks, the rest was left to flow freely behind her. She looked like an empress, a Chinese empress, with her long bell-sleeved tunic with the Chinese collar. Rarely do I see her with make-up but when she does put them on, she was incomparable.

"Mi-chan, the way you look at me now is the closest you have to a smile. Maybe I should dress up more often." The way she pouted or have this faraway look was… lovely.

Maybe you should try dressing up more often. But even if you don't, you'll always look wonderful to me because it's not the clothes nor the make-up, it's you that I love.

Oh, God!

I LOVE HER.

"Houki…"

The magic was broken when Ouji-sama called.

But the name he uttered was not hers. Or, was it?

"Hotohori, I'm here." She answered.

So she was whom he called. What was that, anyway? Matching pet names? Comet and Star?

Comet may not be the sweetest endearment but I'm willing to bet she preferred it to what I usually called her. As cliché as it is, regrets do come at the end.

Seishuku Saihitei stood behind her chair and placed a hand on her shoulder. AS he leaned in she bussed his cheek and they regarded each other like they've known one another their entire lifetimes.

"Miaka and Taka called. They said they would be late." He said explaining why he took so long.

"Did Suzaku no Miko oversleep again?"

I did not understand any of their conversation. It was rather insulting considering they were talking at **my** table. It was like they lapsed into a secret world only they would understand.

"By the way, Sai, this is Tokiya Mikagami, my closest friend." She faced me as she introduced me to the prince. And the accompanying smile that she flashed as she looked at me…

Never have I met a woman who had so perfected the Mona Lisa smile like she did.

"Mi-chan, I'd like you to meet…"

"I know." I cut in. "Who doesn't know his Highness?"

Even in silent fury, I could still remain civil, at least. So I took the proffered hand Seishuku Sahitei thrust and shook hands with him.

"Join us for breakfast, please." She pleaded.

I would have said yes. I would've stayed just to watch over her. But seeing her hand tenderly in his was too much to take.

"I'm already done with breakfast, Kirisawa." I picked up my things and stood up. "It was a pleasure meeting you Ouji-sama. I'll see you in class, Fuuko."

With a small smile at Fuuko, filled with hope that she'd stop me from leaving or that she would leave him to stay with me, a hope that was disappointed nonetheless, and a small bow at his Highness, I left with a silent farewell to the love that was taken from me before I had the chance to admit it to myself.

-owari-

[This is the only part where we will know Tokiya's feelings in the aforementioned multi-chaptered fic. And this will no longer be mentioned in the said fic.]

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Preview to **Black and White: The First Queen**

Fuuko Kirisawa looked outside the huge windows of the café staring at particularly nothing.

"Houki… Houki…" Saihitei had been calling her for some time now but her head was very much preoccupied. As a final resort, Hotohori ventured to call her once more, "Fuuko…"

"Huh!" Fuuko finally snapped out from her musings. "I'm so sorry, Heiki-sama. I'm not used to be called Houki anymore, it so appears."

"I know. Would you rather I call you Fuuko from now on?" He asked with a smile on his beautiful face.

"No. Go ahead and call me Houki, Sai." She replied with an apologetic smile.

"You know you don't have to feel trapped by Shin Jin Ten Chi Sho. We're living different lives now. Boshin's my elder brother, if that proves anything/. You don't have to force yourself to be Houki if you're perfectly happy being Fuuko." He was sincere. She knew he was because it was one of the things she fell in love with once upon a time.

"I'm not forcing anything."

A moment of silence.

"He's the one, isn't he?" He asked tentatively.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?" Hotohori asked noncommittally. "Do you know who he reminds me of?" He suggestively asked.

She shook her head.

"He reminds me of Tendoh." He answered his own question.

Fuuko gaped at him, a mix of emotions visible on her face – shock, anguish, hope, name it. "He can't be…" She managed to say.

"For all we know, he can be." He sipped his espresso briefly. "And do you know what I'm think of him?"

Fuuko shook her head once more.

"He's committing the same mistakes from the book. Just thought I'd tell you. Just so you know." He said with all of his attention focused on her.

"I love you, Sai." Fuuko whispered.

Hotohori smiled at her tenderly and replied, "Houki, don't decide until you're sure. Please, I don't want you to regret any decision you'll make."

**

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Black and White**

Inspired by the world's most popular board game, Chess.

**The First Queen**

Promises of love to a man who kept her loyalty since then...

In love with the enemy who owned her heart…

Will the most powerful woman, then and again, be trapped in a game of love?

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A/N: I think this is an offshoot of Other God, seriously. I pitched Lilith and Gabriel too much together in that fic that imagining Fuuko together with Hotohori was a cinch. And really, Fuuko looks like Houki. I made a pic of Fuuko that I think would very much look like Houki if not Nuriko. Check it out in my profile.

Please, again R and R. If you like the idea of this crossover and you think I should push through with the multi-chaptered fic, please tell me.


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